Marketing is a seduction, not a battlefield

Marketing is a seduction, not a battlefield

A friend of mine just received the following direct email pitch: Re: Crush the Competition: Seize Their visitor who view their website by Dominating Their Audience Attention Prepare yourself for total dominance. Our goal is to destroy your competition and establish your brand as the undisputed leader, not to be diplomatic. Our ruthless [name redacted]…

How much money was wasted on Super Bowl ads in 2024?
|

How much money was wasted on Super Bowl ads in 2024?

With advertisers paying $7 million per 30 seconds, Super Bowl ads are among the most expensive branding opportunities available. But do they work? If you watched the game on Sunday, take the quiz below. Write down your answers on a piece of paper. The point isn’t whether you remembered the ad. The point is, do…

Beyond hype; zombie George Carlin; timidity writer’s block: Newsletter 31 January 2024
|

Beyond hype; zombie George Carlin; timidity writer’s block: Newsletter 31 January 2024

Newsletter week 29: The danger of clickbait and other exaggerations, burgeoning deepfakes, a litany of dangers to the news business, plus three people to follow and three books to read. The Danger of Overpromising The easiest way to get attention for a product is to overpromise. It is also the best way to get customers…

The year’s best holiday marketing email, courtesy of . . . bitly?

The year’s best holiday marketing email, courtesy of . . . bitly?

Tis the season for every online retailer on the planet pinging you endlessly to buy, buy, buy and save, save, save. For marketers who products are digital, it’s particularly challenging to stand out. Nobody wants bits in their stocking, even though more and more of the things we value are virtual. So I was impressed…

You should spend half your time listening
|

You should spend half your time listening

As a freelancer, should you spend half your time marketing yourself? I’ve heard that suggestion, and I have to say, it sounds tedious as hell. Supposedly, you have to advertise and also network like mad. Plus, find opportunities to give speeches and promote yourself. You know, “hustle.” This fills the top of your “funnel” with…

What to expect from your publisher’s marketing and publicity teams
|

What to expect from your publisher’s marketing and publicity teams

If you signed a deal with a publisher — traditional or hybrid — they probably made you promises about all the great work their marketing teams can do for you. But the rosy picture you have in your mind about their book publicity probably doesn’t match what they actually can do. Less than half of…

Comparing the Twitter “X” rebrand to other rebranding efforts
|

Comparing the Twitter “X” rebrand to other rebranding efforts

Twitter rebranded itself as “X.” That isn’t going to accomplish its goals. Why do companies rebrand? Usually, to escape the box they’ve put themselves into. It doesn’t always work, but it’s always expensive. The Twitter rebrand Here’s what Twitter’s home page looks like now. No more cute blue bird. Why? While Elon Musk did his…